Ideas worth spreading

Can light stop the coronavirus?

1,957,527 views | David Brenner • TED2020

Far-UVC light is a type of ultraviolet light that kills microbes and viruses and, crucially, seems to be safe to use around humans. Radiation scientist David Brenner describes how we could use this light to stop the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, in hospitals, nursing homes, trains and other public indoor spaces -- paving the way for a potentially game-changing tool in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. (This virtual conversation, hosted by TED science curator David Biello, was recorded July 7, 2020.)

Far-UVC light is a type of ultraviolet light that kills microbes and viruses and, crucially, seems to be safe to use around humans. Radiation scientist David Brenner describes how we could use this light to stop the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, in hospitals, nursing homes, trains and other public indoor spaces -- paving the way for a potentially game-changing tool in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. (This virtual conversation, hosted by TED science curator David Biello, was recorded July 7, 2020.)

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

About the speakers

David Brenner

Radiation scientist

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David Brenner is developing a unique type of light to kill viruses safely.

David Biello

TED science curator, author

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David Biello is TED's science curator and the author of "The Unnatural World: The Race to Remake Civilization in Earth's Newest Age."

Manuela Buonanno, David Welch, Igor Shuryak and David J. Brenner | Scientific Reports, 2020 | Article

"Far-UVC light (222 nm) efficiently and safely inactivates airborne human coronaviruses"

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.